As part of dam safety programs, dam owners, municipal and state authorities and private parties conduct regular reviews of all their dams. Although the condition of a dam has not changed since it was built, reviews of the purpose or the design identify a need for upgrades to increase capacity or to enhance life span and dam safety, which may be compromised due to hydraulic conditions or during major earthquakes. Other existing barrier systems, for example those constructed with conventional grouting methods, over time and in the particular geology like Karst or alluvial/colluvial sediments, often fail to meet the degree of efficiency and durability, as well as other performance specifications impairing the life span of the structure, as required by the design and intended purpose.
